490 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1220 



differences are at tlie bottom of some of the 

 observed cultural differences, this fact wotdd 

 not necessarily mean, then, that the average 

 ability of the inferior races is less, but only 

 that extreme variations of an advantageous 

 character occur less frequently among them." 



The field student of primitive peoples knows 

 that not only do extreme advantageous varia- 

 tions occur less frequently among primitive 

 peoples than among the more cultured groups 

 numbering millions of men, but he knows that 

 among primitive peoples artificial selection 

 weeds out those superior individuals, who now 

 and then appear and try to put over a new 

 idea. The conclusion seems to me to be in- 

 evitable that this ruthless selection in time 

 affects the racial hereditary abilities of such 

 peoples — just as the Inquisition is known to 

 have affected the Spaniards and Poles. 



The author's conclusion in the chapter en- 

 titled " Culture and Environment " seems to 

 me entirely too sweeping and to need many 

 conditioning phrases : 



" Environment can not explain culture be- 

 cause the identical environment is consistent 

 with distinct cultures; because cultural traits 

 persist from inertia in an unfavorable en- 

 vironment; because they do not develop where 

 they would be of distinct advantage to a peo- 

 ple; and because they may even disappear 

 where one would least expect it on geograph- 

 ical principles." The discussion to a certain 

 extent limits the sweeping reach of this con- 

 clusion. 



In regard to " Determinants of Culture " 

 Dr. Lowie truthfully says : " Psychology, social 

 differences, geographical environment, have all 

 proved inadequate for the interpretation of 

 cultural phenomena. The inference is obvious. 

 Culture is a thing sui generis which can be ex- 

 plained only in terms of itself." His conclu- 

 sion is that culture is a closed system. Ex- 

 planations of culture must remain on the cul- 

 tural plane. " There are ultimate, irreducible 

 facts, special functioning relations, and prin- 

 ciples of wider scope that guide us through 

 the chaotic maze of detail" in the science of 

 human culture, as in all other sciences. Any 

 particular cultural phenomenon is in a meas- 



ure at least unique ; and, in consequence, " its 

 explanation will consist in referring it back 

 to the particular circumstances that preceded 

 it." One by one, then, cultural inventions 

 must be studied primarily with reference solely 

 to themselves; while the study of the growth 

 of culture by diffiision from people to people, 

 with accompanying modifications, will yield 

 the larger volume of new data in the field of 

 cultural research. 



The last chapter, " Terms of Relationship," 

 occupies eighty-two pages, or slightly less than 

 one half the volume. By the time I had read 

 the chapter two thirds through I turned to the 

 conclusion for relief and light — and I was re- 

 assured of my powers of comprehension. This 

 is Dr. Lowie's conclusion : " I am content with 

 calling attention to the tremendous ethnolog- 

 ical significance of kinship terminologies, with 

 combating premature confidence in generaliza- 

 tions based on sheer ignorance, and above all 

 with suggesting that the most rigorous logical 

 formulation of problems is possible in this too 

 long neglected domain of the science of cul- 

 ture." I was relieved to find that the often 

 long-dravm arguments, the partial agreements 

 with or refutations of, conclusions of other 

 students of primitive culture, and the sug- 

 gested relationships between kinship terminol- 

 ogies and cultural facts, were not intended to 

 get the reader farther than Dr. Lowie's sane 

 conclusion. I question the proper appearance 

 of this chapter in a book intended primarily 

 for laymen. 



The book, on the whole, is a genuine asset 

 to our anthropological literature, and will in- 

 terest and enlighten the scientific student as 

 well as the layman. 



Albert Ernest Jenks 



TJniversitt of Minnesota 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



NEZARA VIRIDULA AND KERNEL SPOT OF 

 PECAN 



The following is intended to serve merely 

 as a preliminary note. The work to be done on 

 the problem far exceeds what has been accom- 

 plished but the results obtained thus far are 

 so striking that it has seemed worth while to 



